GREAT SOUTH ROAD

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21347, 23 November 1932, Page 14

GREAT SOUTH ROAD

PERMANENT SURFACING

WAIPA COUNTY PORTION

UNITED REPRESENTATIONS

[KJIOM ouk OWN ciortnrcsi'ONnENTl

TE AWAMUTU, Tuesday "There is only one remedy for the dust nuisance complained of by the To Rap.a ratepayers, and that is to put the road down in permanent surfacing, bitumen or concrete," said the engineer, Mr. ,T. W. Civil, at a meeting of tho Waipa County Council to-day, when reference was made to the meeting held at To Rapa last week, when it was stated that properties fronting the road between Ngaruawahia and Hamilton were being damaged. Mr. Civil said it had been suggested that a temporary expedient would be to add roadside shippings to tho sand surface, but ho did not think that would bo effective, nor that the Main Highways Board, which pays a proportion of tho maintenance cost, would approve. After discussion tho chairman was authorised to convene a meeting with South Auckland members of Parliament as soon as possible after the end of the session, with a view to making united representations to tho Government to carry out tho undertaking of tho Main Highways Board to provide three-quar-ters of the money necessary for bitumen surfacing tho whole 31 miles of the Great South Road in tho Waipa County.

In suggesting that a block voto of ratepayers in the Newcastle Riding should bo arranged to test the prospects of tho loan proposal, tho engineer recalled that 12 years ago that riding raised a loan of £16,000, of which £6OOO was tho riding's contribution for metalling the Great South Road in the riding, but the money was diverted to other roads in the riding.

The engineer added that lie was greatly concerned for the safety of the bridge over the Puniu River, south of Kihikihi. He had plans ready for a new bridge, but the Highways Board subsidy would only be £2 for £l. Possibly a commission would be necessary to determine what portion of the balance should be contributed by the Otorohanga County. Delay was dangerous, as already extraordinarily heavy traffic had had to be diverted via To Mawhai and Tokanui to avoid the bridge.